Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Destiny
by XFangHeartX
Summary: Read and review, and no flames or hate please. Rated T for violence and foul language. May or not contain lemon in later chapters. Summary inside.
1. Prologue

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Destiny

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Pokemon © Nintendo, Game Freak

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Summary- While out on his morning walk, a quirky Pikachu finds an amnesiac Zorua washed ashore on the beach and recruits her into Team Zeus with a cold-hearted Charmeleon as leader. Zorua has no memory of who (or what) she was, but she is constantly plagued by nightmares of a dragon threatening to destroy the Pokemon world. With her mind filled with questions, Zorua must find the answers with the help of her newfound friends while making new enemies along the way. What will Zorua find on this exciting adventure? And why is Charmeleon against having new members on his team? Find out in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Destiny!

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**Prologue**

* * *

There is darkness.

There is silence.

It is only an empty void that she sees.

"What is this?"

Her voice echoes within the void.

"Am I…alone?"

A pause.

"Is this…a dream?"

Suddenly, a tiny bit of light appears in the midst of the void. However, it soon expands, chasing the darkness away and shrouding her in light.

"_Who are you?"_

She is silent for a moment, but then she opens her mouth to answer the voice that seemed to come from nowhere.

"I…I don't know. I don't think I remember, anymore."

"_Might you be…a human?"_

"Me? Well…I guess so…or maybe not. Actually…I'm not so sure, anymore. I guess I don't remember, anymore."

"…_as I suspected."_

"Why? Do you know what I am?"

"…"

"Hello? Are you still there?"

"_Please…help us."_

"Help you?"

"_Yes. The delicate balance of this world has been upset. You must save it…from ruin."_

Suddenly, the light becomes a deep crimson red, and down below her, she can see a world…completely in flames. She gasped in horror as she saw the charred corpses of many Pokemon, grass and trees burned to a complete crisp, and standing in the midst of all this carnage…is a giant dragon with blue eyes, roaring furiously into the blood red sky.

"What the…?!"

"_You must help us."_

"But…but how?! What am I supposed to do?!"

"…"

"Hello?! W-why aren't you answering me?! Hello!"

"…_I don't have much longer. For now…I must go."_

"No! Wait! Please, don't go! You still haven't answered my questions! What am I supposed to do?! Who are you?! _What_ are you?! Why is all this happening?! Please! Just tell me that, at least!"

"…_you'll know in good time."_

Suddenly, she found herself back in the blank void, only now, it felt like she was falling, and all she could do was scream until she suddenly landed…in the middle of a vast blue sea with a big splash. Her body became numb from being submerged in the chilled water, and the fast currents tossed her around like a plaything. Occasionally, she would come up for air, but the water would just push her right back under.

Eventually, the ocean seemed to grow bored of throwing her around, so a huge wave came upon the sandy shore of a beach and dropped her right there.

She panted heavily, and weariness overcame her. As she closed her eyes, seemingly for the last time, she heard that familiar voice in her ears.

"_Yes. You'll have your answers in good time…Zorua."_

* * *

I feel like I could've done better with this. I know the title isn't really original, but it's the only one I could come up. Plus, I was in the mood to make a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon story since I got Gates of Infinity. Can you blame me?

Review, please!


	2. Ch 1- New Life?

**Ch. 1- New Life?**

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Pokemon © Nintendo, Game Freak

Team Zeus © Me

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Sundrop Village, a home to a vast array of Pokemon of different sizes, shapes, and types. The inhabitants are always neighborly to one another.

"Good morning, Lopunny!" called a female Swablu to a Shiny Lopunny.

"Hi!" she called back, waving her paw.

"Going on another little outing for Kecleon, again, are we?" asked Swablu, although she seemed to already know the answer.

"Yep!" Lopunny called. "I'm off to the Crystal Caverns to get some blue gemstones! They're in high demand this year!"

"Good luck then!" Swablu called back. "Be safe!"

"No worries!" Lopunny called before she bounded off.

Yes, the Pokemon were very friendly here. Well…some more than others.

"Are you gonna buy something, pal?" asked a grumpy Zoroark to a rather surprised Pansage. "If not, then scram! This is a shop, not a museum! I'm a very busy 'mon, today!"

"Zoroark!" a Kecleon called to the rather ill-tempered fox. "What did I tell you about treating the customer with respect?! Err, don't mind him, sir. Please, take as long as you need!"

"Thank you, Kecleon," the Pansage said.

"And you, Zoroark!" the Kecleon snapped. "I know you mean well, but you better start shaping up! If you weren't Lopunny's friend, I would have you out on your ear! Now get to work! You still need to take inventory, you know!"

Zoroark only grumbled.

Yes, Sundrop Village is a very nice home to many neighborly folks. However, this was not just a home for Pokemon: it is the headquarters of the legendary Charizard Guild. This guild is made of teams of special Pokemon who help the needy and right the wrongdoers; explorers known as Rescuers.

As the name suggests, Charizard himself did indeed found this guild, for he had seen so much injustice in his youth, and he knew that he could not turn a blind eye to this. That's why he founded this guild, and he was very proud of it, too…especially since his two sons joined the guild.

In fact, we should be joining one of them right about now.

Not too far away from the village, a Pikachu wearing a yellow-green bandana around his neck is out for his usual morning stroll, whistling a little random tune to himself…whilst walking backwards.

No one really questioned this behavior, really. If one lived in Sundrop Village long enough to see this Pikachu, then they'd consider this type of habit normal. No one knew why, but he always a bit…eccentric, always doing things rather differently than others, like walking backwards while whistling or juggling berries before eating them. Of course, he doesn't do it for very long, but it did worry his father and older brother quite a bit, but pretty soon, they learned that this is just how Pikachu is and how he'll always be, and it made them somewhat happy to know that he preferred to be himself, and if Pikachu's peers didn't like him that way…well, that was their problem, not his.

As Pikachu turned around to walk forward, he is suddenly hit in the face with a ray of sunshine. Momentarily blinded, he merely chuckled and squinted his eyes until they got used to the brightness. Once they had adjusted, he got a good look at his surroundings: a beautiful, vast, blue sea where the waves lapped against the sandy shore of a beach.

"Ah~," Pikachu sighed. "Another beautiful morning, even if I do say so, myself. I wonder what kind of seashells I can find here on the beach, today."

With that, the electric mouse went straight down to the beach and began to dig around in the sand, happily searching for whatever treasures he may find. His search didn't last long, for he soon found a fair amount of items: a pink conch shell that he seemed to wear as a type of party hat, a shiny, flat, smooth, obsidian pebble that looked for perfect for skipping across the water, and a Heart Scale possibly dropped by a Luvdisc.

Kecleon seemed to be looking for that particular item. Perhaps Pikachu could sell it to him at a reasonable price.

As Pikachu continued his little treasure hunt, he suddenly spotted something out of the corner. Something much bigger than a seashell, a pebble, or a Heart Scale.

There, lying on the shore of the beach…is a limp, lifeless Zorua.

"Holy Hydreigon!" Pikachu cried before he dropped his treasures and scampered up to the motionless fox.

"H…hey," he called to her, gently poking her in the face with his foot. "Hey! Are you okay?"

There was no answer.

"…poor thing," said Pikachu, pitifully. "She probably drowned before she ended up getting washed up here on this beach. I better go get Dad and Charmeleon and-"

All of a sudden, the Zorua seemed to make a small but very noticeable moan, and Pikachu gasped in shock.

"You're alive!" he cried before he picked her up and hoisted her on his back, carrying her piggyback style.

"Unh…" Zorua moaned once again before she looked at Pikachu.

"Hey, you okay there?" Pikachu asked. "You're not seeing that big ol' light at the end of the tunnel, yet, right?"

"…a talking Pikachu?" Zorua questioned. "Boy…I must still dreaming…mmmn…"

"Hey, hey, wait!" Pikachu called. "Don't black out, yet!"

It was too late. Unconscious reclaimed Zorua once again.

"Not good!" Pikachu muttered. "Definitely not good! I gotta get her to Doctor Audino, right away!"

With that, Pikachu hurried back to the village faster than you could say "Thunderbolt!"

XXX

Pikachu arrived back at the village and burst into the medical hut, surprising Doctor Audino and his assistant, Nurse Blissey. After explaining the situation, the two immediately got to work on their latest patient.

"Well, it looks like she didn't swallow any water," said Doctor Audino, his paw on Zorua's forehead. "However, she seems to have a fever. Plus, the seawater has made her fur wet and cold, so she could also be suffering hypothermia."

"She…she is gonna live…right, Doc?" asked Pikachu. "I-I mean…I don't wanna have to brought her all the way here just for her to…well…you know…kick the bucket…?"

"Well," Doctor Audino began as he placed Zorua on the bed, "if she managed to survive being beached this long, then she may have a chance, even if it is slim. Nurse, get this poor child a blanket and some Aspear Berries."

"Yes, Doctor," said Nurse Blissey before she ran to a nearby supply closet.

"Why don't you go ahead and go home, Pikachu," Doctor Audino said. "If anything comes up, I'll come and look for you."

Pikachu looked up at Doctor Audino a bit sadly before he turned his gaze to the still unconscious Zorua, who is now being wrapped up in a blanket by Nurse Blissey, and had some Aspear Berries ready for her to eat when (or if) she woke up.

"If something does come up," Pikachu started, "then you WILL come and tell me right?"

"Absolutely," Doctor Audino said. "Now go on. Charmeleon's been looking for you, you know."

Pikachu chuckled sheepishly before he turned and left.

"Thanks a lot, Doc!" he called.

"Anytime, Pikachu!" Doctor Audino called back as the little mouse left before turning to look at the young Zorua.

"The poor dear," said Nurse Blissey. "All alone in this world."

"It's a good thing Pikachu brought her here," said Doctor Audino. "Another moment longer…she probably would've died."

"I wonder how she ended up getting washed up at the beach, anyway," Nurse Blissey mused.

"It doesn't matter," Doctor Audino answered. "What matters now is that she's safe and that she's going to live."

"I just hope that the village is willing to accept her," said Nurse Blissey.

"I'm not worried about the village," said Doctor Audino. "I know fully well that Charizard, as well as all the other Pokemon in the village, will accept Zorua. I'm more worried about what Charmeleon will say."

Nurse Blissey gasped silently before she looked outside.

XXX

Meanwhile, at a wooden house on the outskirts of the village, Pikachu has just come in through the front door.

"Hey, bro!" he called. "I'm back from my walk!"

"About time."

Pikachu is soon greeted by a rather angry looking Charmeleon wearing a tote bag around his left shoulder. His most distinguishable feature had to be the scar on his left eye.

"What the hell have you been doing, Pikachu?" Charmeleon asked. "Looking for stupid seashells, again?"

"Well, I did go down to the beach," Pikachu answered, "and I did find a seashell, but I-"

"Never mind," Charmeleon answered. "Come on. Dad's been waiting for us, and because of you, we're late!"

"But Charmeleon-" Pikachu started.

"I said 'let's go'!" Charmeleon barked before he stomped out of the house, and a grumbling Pikachu followed behind him.

XXX

The Charizard Guild Headquarters. To some, it looks like a cave with the banner put up on the mouth, but to most, it is the meeting place of all Rescuer teams that lived in Sundrop Village. The five main teams always gathered here whenever their guild leader summoned them.

Team Maelstrom, consisting of Honchkrow, Murkrow, and Scyther.

Team Night Shade, consisting of Sneasel, Yamask, and Nuzleaf.

Team Sunshine, consisting of Sunflora, Bulbasaur, and Leafeon.

Team Fire Fang, consisting of Houndour, Flareon, and Growlithe.

Finally, Team Zeus, consisting of just Charmeleon and Pikachu, Charizard's two sons.

As the teams entered the torch-lit room of the cave and sat in their respective seats on the floor, Honchkrow looked down at Charmeleon and smirked.

"Well, if it isn't Charmeleon come to grace our presence with his ugly mug," he mused.

"Why don't you take a damn picture, Honchkrow?" Charmeleon questioned with a snarl. "It lasts longer!"

"Charmeleon, no picking fights!" Pikachu said. "Remember what Dad said!"

Sunflora sighed at the two.

"Every time there's a meeting," she said, "all you two ever do is try to pick fights with each other! Can't we all just get along?"

"It's quite entertaining, if you ask me!" Houndour commented with a guffaw.

"Whatever," Sneasel chimed in with a yawn. "These little gatherings are always boring to me."

"Everyone! I'm glad you could make it!"

The teams looked up and saw Guild Leader Charizard coming out of his chamber, followed by an Absol.

"Absol?" Charmeleon questioned.

"Dad, what's Old Man Absol doing here?" Pikachu asked.

"Did he finally decide to move out of that distasteful bog?" asked Honchkrow.

"Very funny, Honchkrow," Absol commented, "but that's not why I'm here."

"Absol has come all the way from Mossy Bog to deliver some…rather disturbing but important news," said Charizard. "We all know about Absol's ability to see…well…disasters."

"Yeah, don't I know it," Charmeleon mused, grumpily. "How do you think I got this scar?"

"Charmeleon," Charizard ordered. "Peace."

"Sorry, Dad," said Charmeleon.

"Anyway," Charizard began, "I have gathered you all here today because lately, Absol has seen troubling signs. Storm clouds have been gathering in different places, and wild Pokemon have grown incredibly violent as of late."

"These are certainly signs of an impending disaster," said Absol. "I'm not entirely sure of what it may be though, but I have a feeling that it's bigger than any rockslide, earthquake, or flood."

"R-really?" asked Yamask, nervously.

"That is why I called you all here," said Charizard. "From now on, whenever you go out on a mission, all teams must be on their guard."

"You don't have to worry about us, Charizard," Leafeon said.

"Yeah! We'll be very careful!" Growlithe answered.

"Good," Charizard said. "Meeting dismissed."

With that, the teams turned and left, but then…

"Charmeleon! Pikachu!" Charizard called. "Why don't you stay a bit longer? I need to talk to you."

"Oh, man, I hope this has nothing to do with that ruckus I caused in the café the other day," Pikachu muttered.

"Yes, Dad?" asked Charmeleon.

"There is an important matter I need to discuss with you two," Charizard said. "Mostly you, Charmeleon."

Charmeleon stared up at his father, inquisitively.

"Charmeleon," Charizard began, "I think it's about time that Team Zeus…gets a new recruit."

Charmeleon's eyes went wide and bloodshot once Charizard uttered those words, his claws balled up into tight fists, and the flame on his tail grew bigger and more intense. If Pikachu didn't get out of the way in time, he surely would've been burned.

"How DARE you say that!" Charmeleon barked. "Dad, I already told you a thousand times, already, that I forbid any new recruits on my team!"

"You may be the leader of Team Zeus," said Charizard, "but as far I'm concerned, you must have another member for your team! Besides, you heard what Absol said! A disaster could happen at any given day, and it seems too dangerous for you to be just a team of two Pokemon!"

"Absol is a crazy old geezer!" Charmeleon shouted, pointing a claw at Absol.

"You dare to question my soothsaying abilities?" Absol questioned. "I've been foretelling disasters long before you were even an egg, child, and all of them have come true! That's how you got that scar on your face!"

"That's enough!" Charizard ordered. "Charmeleon…please, reconsider this. After all…that accident happened almost three years ago. You need to move on!"

"…you make it sound like it's easy," Charmeleon hissed, "but trust me, Dad…it is NOT easy."

With that, Charmeleon turned and walked out of the cave.

"Pikachu!" Charmeleon called. "You coming or not?"

Pikachu glanced up at Charizard before he turned and followed his older brother out.

"Charmeleon!" Pikachu called him as the two made it outside.

"Don't you try to change my mind, either, Pikachu!" Charmeleon snapped.

"Look, I know this is a pretty much a bad effort on my part," said Pikachu, "but…Dad's right, you know. That accident happened because Absol predicted it and-"

"No, Pikachu," Charmeleon said. "I don't care what you say. That accident that happened that day was all me!"

"…you really should stop blaming yourself, you know," said Pikachu, a bit sadly. "I know it's sad knowing that Zigzagoon is gone, but if you keep holding on to the past…then she's not gonna rest any easier."

"…mind your own damn business," said Charmeleon before he continued to walk away, leaving Pikachu to watch him with ears drooping sadly.

"Pikachu!"

Pikachu and Charmeleon looked up and saw Doctor Audino running up to them. Needless to say, he did seem rather exhausted. Despite being a doctor, Doctor Audino didn't seem very fit. As he approached Team Zeus, he panted heavily with a hand to his chest.

"I hate…irony," he said between huffs.

"Doctor Audino?" Charmeleon questioned. "What are you doing here?"

Pikachu gasped and approached the doctor.

"Doc!" he said. "How is she?! Is she okay?! Tell me she's okay!"

"'She'?" Charmeleon asked. "Who's 'she', Pikachu?"

"She's finally awake," said Doctor Audino after finally catching his breath, "but-"

"Great!" Pikachu exclaimed before he ran off to the medical hut.

"Hey, wait!" Charmeleon called as he ran after his brother. "What's going on?! Who the hell is 'she'?! Pikachu, answer me!"

"Wait!" Doctor Audino called. "You don't understand! She's awake but she…oh, he'll find out when he gets there."

XXX

At that medical tent, a huge commotion had just broken out.

Zorua had finally woken up, but once she did, she immediately broke out in a frenzy and lashed out at Nurse Blissey!

"Calm down!" Nurse Blissey said as she approached Zorua, who is now backed up into a corner of the hut.

"G…get away from me!" Zorua snapped. "Just…just stay back! I'm warning you!"

"Please," said Nurse Blissey. "I don't know what you're talking about. You still have a bit of a fever, you know. You should rest a bit longer."

"I know what you're up to," said Zorua. "You're gonna try and take advantage of me while I'm asleep, right?! Well, it's not gonna happen you…you…talking Blissey, you!"

"Miss, please," Nurse Blissey said. "You need to calm down. If you don't, you could end up making yourself worse!"

At that moment, Pikachu and Charmeleon entered the hut and saw Zorua in the corner.

"What in the world?!" Charmeleon questioned.

"Hey! You're awake!" Pikachu exclaimed, joyfully.

When Zorua turned to face Pikachu, she gasped and seemed to come to her sense a bit.

"You're that Pokemon I saw earlier!" said Zorua.

"That's right," Pikachu said. "I'm the one who brought you here! The name's Pikachu. How are you feeling? Better, now?"

Zorua looked down at the floor.

_I guess this means I'm not dreaming after all,_ she thought to herself. _I ended up in a world where Pokemon really can talk!_

"Hello?" Pikachu asked.

"Well…my head still hurts a bit," answered Zorua, "but…I think I'll be okay."

"Jeez," said Pikachu. "Just when I thought this would be a regular morning, I go to the beach and I find a Zorua stranded there. How weird is that, right?"

Zorua stared at Pikachu like he was speaking a different language, this time.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "I'm not a Zorua."

Charmeleon raised his eyebrow quizzically at her.

"Uh…yeah, you are," he said.

"No I'm not," Zorua replied.

"Yeah, you are," Charmeleon answered.

"No, I'm NOT!" Zorua answered, this time sounding a bit irritable.

"Yeah, you ARE!" Charmeleon barked. "If you look like a Zorua, walk like a Zorua, and talk like a Zorua, then you must be a _Zorua_, and if you don't believe me," he pointed his claw at a nearby mirror, "then go look at your reflection!"

"Fine," said Zorua before she approached the mirror, "but it's only gonna prove to you how wrong you are!"

Once Zorua stood in front of the mirror and saw her reflection, she gasped in utter horror before she looked herself over.

Red paws.

Black mane.

Grayish-purple fur.

A red tuft of hair on top of her head.

Blue eyes with white pupils.

A big, fluffy, bushy tail.

That's when it finally dawned on her…and she let out a scream of terror.

"I'M A POKEMON~!" she screamed.

"Uh, hello!" Charmeleon shouted. "Of course you are! Since when were you not a Pokemon?!"

"Yeah!" Pikachu said. "I mean, what, did you think you were something else?!"

Zorua looked at Pikachu and Charmeleon and then back at her reflection in the mirror.

"Well…to be honest," she said, "I think I used to be something else…but…I can't remember what."

At that moment, Doctor Audino entered too.

"Uh, Doc?" asked Charmeleon. "You think you could talk to her? She's got some crazy idea in her head that she used to be something else."

"Hmm…" Doctor Audino hummed. "Sounds like a clear-cut of amnesia."

"You mean she doesn't remember anything before she came here?" asked Nurse Blissey.

"Exactly," said Doctor Audino.

Pikachu looked at Zorua and approached her from behind. Then, ever so gently, he put a paw on her shoulder, forcing to glance at him.

"Try and think back a little," said Pikachu. "Are you absolutely sure you don't remember anything? How did you end up getting stranded on the beach? Were you on a boat or something? Did the boat sink?"

"I…I just don't know," said Zorua. "I don't remember being on any boat. All I remember is…a voice telling me something…and that's it. I don't remember anymore. After that, I woke up…and I saw you, Pikachu."

Pikachu smiled a bit.

"So…if you can't remember anything," he said, "what are you gonna do, now?"

Zorua looked at her reflection in the mirror, looking a bit unsure.

"Well," she said, "since I look like a Zorua, walk like a Zorua, and talk like a Zorua…" she then looked at Pikachu with a small smile, "then I might as well be called Zorua, too."

Pikachu's smile grew wider.

"Nice to meet you, Zorua!" he said.

"Nice to meet you, too, Pikachu," Zorua replied with a friendly grin, but then, out of nowhere, she suddenly collapsed.

"Zorua!" Pikachu cried. "Oh, no! Are you okay?!"

"She still has a slight fever," said Nurse Blissey. "She still needs to rest a bit longer."

"Why don't you come back later?" Doctor Audino asked. "She should be feeling better by nightfall."

"Thanks, Doc!" said Pikachu before he turned and left with Charmeleon following behind him.

Nurse Blissey laid Zorua back on the bed,

"She'll be all right," Doctor Audino said. "I am a doctor. I know these things."

"Doctor," Nurse Blissey said. "Do you think it's possible that maybe Zorua is…"

Doctor Audino looked at Nurse Blissey with a rather serious expression.

"Only time will tell," he said.

Meanwhile, Zorua, who had not fully passed out, only looked at the tray of Aspear Berries in front of her before looking up at the ceiling, deep in thought.

_I guess…since I can't really remember who…or what…I was,_ she thought, _it probably means that…I'll have to start a new life…and something tells me it won't be easy._

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

Review, please!


	3. Ch 2- Zorua Joins Team Zeus

**Ch. 2- Zorua Joins Team Zeus**

* * *

Pokemon © Nintendo, Game Freak

Team Zeus © Me

* * *

"_Z…Zo…Zorua…!"_

"Huh?"

"_Zorua…"_

"It's you again!"

"_Zorua…don't forget why you're here."_

The image of the blue-eyed dragon standing in a burning world appeared again.

"Wait! I still don't understand! Why am I even here? Why do you keep showing me this?!"

"_You will get your answers in good time."_

"But I wanna know now! Who are you?!"

"_In good time, Zorua…in good time."_

"No! No, wait! WAIT~!"

XXX

Zorua sat up in bed with a gasp. Her face is practically soaked in her own sweat, and her heart is pounding in her chest She then took in a deep breath and sighed.

"Damn," she said to herself. "What in the world is that dream trying to tell me? A giant blue-eyed dragon…a destroyed world…what does it mean?"

After taking a look around, she saw that she is still in the medical hut, but Doctor Audino and Nurse Blissey are nowhere to be found.

_Well that's weird,_ she thought. _Where did they do?_

Zorua hopped out of bed, but the moment she did, her legs seemed to buckle under her weight and she nearly collapsed again, but after a moment, she pulled herself together and proceeded to exit the medical hut. Once she made it outside, she soon found that it is later than she realized. She could see the sun slowly setting behind the mountains far off in the distance, and the sky is a vivid orange with pink and purple clouds. Not only that, but the village seemed almost empty.

"Wow," said Zorua. "It's so pretty out here, but it's kinda quiet, too. Almost like a ghost town. Where is everyone?"

As Zorua went out to take a look around, she suddenly heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"Zorua!"

Zorua turned and saw Pikachu running up to her on all fours.

"Oh! Pikachu!" Zorua said.

"Glad to see you're awake!" Pikachu exclaimed as he braked to a half in front of her. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better, now," said Zorua. "By the way, have you seen Doctor Audino and Nurse Blissey? When I woke up, they were gone."

"Oh, they must've gone home already," said Pikachu. "Everyone here in Sundrop Village always go back home at sunset. That's the rule that my Dad made here."

"Why?" asked Zorua.

"Well, our local prophet, Old Man Absol, says that we have to be careful nowadays," said Pikachu. "He says that something bad will happen."

"Something bad?" Zorua repeated, having a brief flashback of the blue-eyed dragon. "Bad how, exactly?"

"Well, we're not really sure," said Pikachu. "Not even Old Man Absol knows when or what it really is, but we pretty much trust him anyway. He's been known to predict disasters, and they've always been right. How do you think my big bro, Charmeleon got that scar on his eye?"

Zorua went silent for a moment, and Pikachu chuckled sheepishly.

"Sorry about that," he said. "Maybe I said a bit too much."

"Uh…no," said Zorua. "It's okay."

_I wonder if it's this Absol guy who's been calling me in my dreams,_ she thought to herself. _Then again, it sounds like he doesn't know about the dragon, either._

"Hey, you hungry?" asked Pikachu. "I was on my way back to my place for some grub! Wanna come?"

**Gurgle~!** Zorua's stomach let out an audible growl, making her blush a bright pink.

"Well…food does sound good," she said. "Why not?"

"Great! Follow me!" Pikachu said before he prepared to dash off. "Oh! But…don't let my brother see you when we get to the house."

"Why?" asked Zorua. "He already saw me, earlier."

"Just trust me," Pikachu replied. "If he sees you in the house, he's gonna get the wrong idea. It's happened before, actually."

Zorua shrugged before she followed after Pikachu, heading to the house on the outskirts of the village, but as she did, she wondered why Pikachu warned her about Charmeleon.

XXX

**MUNCH! MUNCH! CRUNCH! GULP! URRRP!** Zorua hastily munched on plates full of bread, berries, meat, noodles, and vegetables, and stacked plate-after-plate on the table. Needless to say, Pikachu was a bit surprised at his new friend's appetite…and maybe a bit disgusted too, but then again, he didn't blame her for being hungry. She was probably lost at sea for days.

"And I thought Snorlax eat a lot," said Pikachu.

Zorua looked at Pikachu, then at the stacks of plates that she had put on the table before she swallowed her food and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry about that," said Zorua. "Guess I was hungrier than I thought."

Pikachu chuckled a bit.

"Phew!" Zorua sighed as she stacked her last plate. "I couldn't eat another bite."

"That's good," said Pikachu, "because you ate almost all the food in the house."

Zorua chuckled once again.

"My bad," she said.

"Ah, don't worry about it," said Pikachu. "I kinda eat a lot, myself, really. We'll just go to the market tomorrow and get some more!"

"That's good," said Zorua.

A pause came.

"Hey, Zorua?" asked Pikachu.

"Hmm?" Zorua hummed.

"Uh…can I ask you something?" Pikachu asked.

"Sure," Zorua replied.

"I was wondering," Pikachu started, "you've pretty much lost your memory, right?"

"Well…I suppose so," said Zorua, a bit unsure.

"And you don't have anywhere to go or return to, right?" asked Pikachu.

"I don't think so," Zorua replied.

"Then…would you like to join Team Zeus?" asked Pikachu.

"Team…Zeus?" Zorua repeated.

"Yeah!" Pikachu answered. "It's a Rescuer Team!"

"Wait…'Rescuer'?" Zorua repeated, once again.

"What are you, a Chatot?" asked Pikachu. "Oh, but wait. You're new to this whole thing. Lemme lay it out for you."

"Okay," said Zorua.

"You see, Zorua," said Pikachu, "Team Zeus is one of five Rescuer Teams in the Charizard Guild, a non-profit- I repeat, _non_-profit- organization which is stationed here in Sundrop Village. Our job is simple: just help those who need it! Rescue Pokemon who need to be rescued and right the wrongdoers and all that jazz!"

"So…you're like a police force or something?" Zorua asked.

"Not a 'police force', _per se_," said Pikachu. "We prefer to call ourselves 'Explorers'! We're the kind of Pokemon who go out of the village and explore all these different places! We more or less call them 'Mystery Dungeons'."

"Mystery Dungeons?" asked Zorua. "Why do you call them that?"

"That's just it!" said Pikachu. "It's a mystery! Every time you enter a dungeon, you run into all these baddies, like outlaws and gangs and such, and the paths seem to change every time you go back to one! In some cases, we go there to find Pokemon that end up getting lost and can't find their way back home. Other times, we go there to take care of any bad eggs, if you catch my drift."

"Oh," said Zorua. "I think I understand now."

"Great!" said Pikachu.

"So…why are you asking me to join your team, then?" asked Zorua.

Pikachu sighed.

"Well, most of the teams have at least three members," he explained. "As for Team Zeus, it's only me and my big bro, Charmeleon, and Dad says it's time we got some new recruits."

"Oh, I see," said Zorua.

"So…what do you say?" asked Pikachu.

"I say the answer is 'no'!"

Pikachu and Zorua gasped before they turned and saw Charmeleon, standing in the doorway, arms crossed and his eyes fixed in an angry expression.

"Ch-Charmeleon?!" Pikachu cried. "W-what are you doing here?!"

"I just got back from taking care of some personal business," said Charmeleon. "But I think that's the question I should be asking Zorua here!"

"W-well, you see-" Pikachu started before Charmeleon cut him off.

"Pikachu, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, already!" Charmeleon yelled. "I'm the leader of Team Zeus, so I make the rules, and the rule is no new recruits! Not now, not EVER!"

"But, Char-" Pikachu started, but once again, he was cut off.

"Zorua, I'm sorry, but you have to go!" Charmander barked, pointing to the door. "Now!"

"But I-" Zorua started.

"NOW!" Charmeleon shouted.

Zorua stared at Charmeleon, who glared at her, and then she looked to Pikachu, who looked at her in a pleading way, but then she sighed and hopped down from her seat at the table.

"Zorua, wait!" Pikachu called. "You don't have to go!"

"Well, apparently, Charmeleon wants me to go," Zorua said before she proceeded to walk out. "I guess I'll stay at an inn or something."

"No, Zorua!" Pikachu called. "Come back!"

It was too late. A loud slam told Pikachu that she had already went out the door.

Charmeleon snorted, a puff of smoke seeping out of his nostrils, before he looked at Pikachu, who glared back at him. The Flame Pokemon heaved a sigh before he looked at his brother, trying to put on a softer expression.

"Dammit, Pikachu, don't look at me that way," Charmeleon said. "You knew this would happen, so why did you bring her to the house anyway?"

"Because I had to help her," said Pikachu. "Charmeleon, I'm a Rescuer! I'm supposed to help Pokemon in need! Dammit, she lost her memory, and even if she gets them back, she probably doesn't have a home or anywhere else to go!"

Charmeleon just stared at Pikachu.

"Charmeleon," said Pikachu. "You can't turn your back on her. You're a Rescuer, too."

Charmeleon's eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth to argue, but then he heaved a sigh in defeat.

"You know what?" asked Charmeleon. "Fine. Go get her and tell her she's on the team."

Pikachu gasped, a grin appearing on his face.

"You mean it?!" he asked, excitedly.

"Yes, I mean it," said Charmeleon.

"WHOO-HOO! Pikachu cheered before he hopped down from his seat at the table and brought his brother into a tight, grateful embrace.

"Thanks, bro!" he exclaimed. "You're the best!"

"Y-y-yeah, yeah!" Charmeleon said. "Now…GET OFF!"

He pushed Pikachu off of himself.

"Look, she may be on the team, now," said Charmeleon, "but that doesn't mean I have to like her! If she does anything to piss me off, then she's outta here, got it?!"

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you!" Pikachu said, enthusiastically.

"Good," said Charmeleon. "Now…go and get her."

Pikachu nodded before he ran out the door to find Zorua.

XXX

Zorua found herself sitting on the edge of a cliff, staring up at the quarter moon. She heaved a sigh and looked down at the land below.

_I should've known that I wouldn't be wanted here,_ she thought. _Why is that Charmeleon such a jerk?_

"Zorua? Are you out here?!"

Zorua gasped.

"Pikachu!" she exclaimed as she saw her friend approach her. "What are you doing here?"

"Charmeleon changed his mind!" said Pikachu. "He says you can join!"

"R-really?!" Zorua asked in surprise. "But…what made him change his mind?!"

"Oh, I just pulled some strings," said Pikachu. "Anyway, this is great! After three years, we finally get a new member to Team Zeus! WHOO-HOO!"

Zorua smiled as well at her friend's joy, but as soon it came, it fell, and Pikachu noticed.

"What's up?" asked Pikachu. "Something the matter?"

"Pikachu…how come Charmeleon doesn't want new members on this team in the first place?" Zorua asked in a worried tone.

Pikachu froze, but then he sighs.

"It's not something I really like to talk about," he said, "but…since you're on the team now, you might as well know, too. Just…don't tell Charmeleon about this, okay? He'll be chewing me out for ages."

"Okay," said Zorua. "I won't tell him. I promise."

"Good," Pikachu said. "Follow me."

Pikachu dashed off with Zorua following behind him.

After what felt like hours, Pikachu and Zorua came to stand before a huge birch tree…and standing at the base of said tree…is a tombstone. The grass around is covered in flowers that have withered with age, as well as a fresh bouquet.

The words written on the tomb read, "R.I.P Zigzagoon. A brave Rescuer to the end."

"…this is Zigzagoon's grave," said Pikachu. "She was a member of Team Zeus before…well…the accident."

"What happened?" Zorua asked.

"We went on a mission to evacuate a village that was going to get washed away in an incoming flood that Old Man Absol predicted," said Pikachu. "He also predicted that…one of us would end up dying during that mission if we ended up going. When Zigzagoon and I heard that…we decided that it was best if another team went in our place, 'cause, like I said, Old Man Absol's predictions always come true, but…Charmeleon gave much stock into it. He was a bit cocky and maybe a little naïve back then."

"So you guys went anyway?" Zorua asked. "Even though you and Zigzagoon knew that one of you were meant to die if you did?"

Pikachu nodded in response.

"When we got to the village, we got all the Pokemon that lived there out as quick as we could," he explained, "but then…it happened."

Zorua was silent.

"The dam burst," Pikachu said. "Zigzagoon was still in the village, trying to save a Venipede from drowning. Charmeleon tried to go back for her, but…he couldn't go into the water because if he did…it would douse out the flame on his tail and…well…he'd be kaput. I couldn't really do much, either, since I can't swim. By the time the flood was over, we found Zigzagoon, washed up on a riverbed, but…she was long gone."

Zorua looked at the tombstone, ears drooped at the sides of her head.

"We all took her death really hard," said Pikachu, "but…Charmeleon took it the hardest out of everyone, because…Zigzagoon was his girlfriend.

Zorua gasped silently.

"Ever since, Charmeleon blamed himself for what happened," Pikachu started, "even though Old Man Absol said it was gonna happen, anyway. That was why Charmeleon decided that Team Zeus will never get another team member, ever again."

"Until today?" asked Zorua.

"Yeah," said Pikachu.

Zorua looked at Zigzagoon's grave.

"Zigzagoon," she said. "I'm really sorry about what happened to you. Even though I'm a member of Team Zeus now…I know I could never take your place. I hope you'll understand that."

Pikachu smiled and held Zorua's paw.

"I think she does," he said with a wink.

Zorua smiled before she let out a yawn.

"Hehehe," she chuckled. "You'd think that after sleeping for the most of the day, I'd be full of energy by now, huh?"

Pikachu just laughed.

"C'mon," he said. "Let's head home. We can tell Dad the good news in the morning."

Zorua nodded before she followed Pikachu back to the house to rest, for tomorrow is going to be a very big day for the former.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

Sorry I took so long updating this.

Review, please!


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